Improvement in sewing-machines for embroidering



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J W TUTTLE & T K KEITH -SeWing-Ma0hine for Embroidering. No. 219,782. Patented Sept. 16,1879.

Ji. 1 Witn/eaa'eqs, 6 g 16 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN W. TUTTLE, OF WATERTOWN, AND THOMAS K. KEITH, OF HAVERHILL, ASSIGNORS OF ON E-THIRD OF THEIR RIGHT TO ISAAC FARWELL, J E, OF

NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN SEWING-MACHINES FOR EMBROIDERING.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 219,782, dated September 16, 1879; application filed May 12, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that We, JOHN W. TUTTLE, of Watertown, in the county of Middlesex, and THOMAS K. KEITH, of Haverhill, in the county of Essex, both in the State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Sewing-Machines for Embroidering, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of sewingmachines in which the material being stitched is given a horizontal movement of more than the ordinary length, so that the stitches are elongated to produce ornamental effects. I

The object of the present invention is to provide certain improvements in machines of the class named, whereby a large variety of ornamental stitches'may be produced.

To this end the invention consists in the improvements which will now be described and claimed.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents an end view of a portion of a sewing-machine provided with our improvements. Fig. 2 represents a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 represents a side view of the same. Fig. 3 represents a section'on line-0c m, Fig. 2. Figs. 3 and 3 represent a device used in connection with the machine for a special kind of work. Fig. 4 represents a top view of a portion of the mechanism embodying our improvements Fig. 5 represents a section on line at m, Fig.

4. Fig. 6 represents a section on line y y, Fig. 5. Fig. 7 represents a modification. Fig. 8 represents a section similar to Fig. 5, with some of the parts in different positions. Fig. 8 represents a section on line 2 2 Fig. 8. Fig. 9 represents a partial section on line 2 z, Fig. 5. Fig. 10 represents a modification.- Figs. 11, 11 11 11 12, 12 12 13,14, and 15 represent stitches formed by the machine. Fig. 16 represents another modification.

Similar letters indicate like parts in all the figures.

In the drawings the invention is shown applied toa Howe sewing-machine, although it is applicable to other lock-stitch machines, which need not be here named.

Referring to said drawings, A represents the bed or table of the machine. B represents the goose-neck, having a vertically-reciprocating needle-bar, which operates as usual in machines in which the needle has no lateral move ment. The machine is provided'with suitable lock-stitch-forming mechanism. (Not shown in the drawings.)

D represents the presser-foot, which is preferably formed at its lower end to occupy as little space as possible on the material being stitched. 1

For convenience of description we will hereinafter call the material being. stitched the k 77 The presser-foot is raised and lowered by suitable mechanism to release and hold the work at periods of time which are capable of definite adjustment.

To operate the presser-foot, we prefer to employ a system of levers, E F G, aconnectingrod, H, a spring, I, and a cam, which is one of a series or gang of cams, J J 1 J, each of which differs from the others, and either of which is adapted to operate the presser-foot,.

as hereinafter described.

The leversE F are pivoted at 1 2 to the goose-neck, and are jointed together or otherwise loosely connected at their proximate ends. The lever E is connected at one end to an arm, L, which is rigidly attached to thepresser-bar M. Said lever E is preferably slottedor perforated, so that the arm L .can move freely through the lever, and the arm is. provided with two stops, N 0, above and below the lever. The stop N bears upon the upper side of the lever, and the stop 0 supports aspring, P, which bears against the under side of the lever.

The lever G is connected at 3 to a stud or support under the bed A, and. is connected to the lever F by the rod H.

connected to one end of the lever F) and to the goose-neck, and its effect is to hold the lever G in yielding contact with. one of the cams J, and to raise the presser-foot whenever the position of the cam will allow.

The cams J are located on a shaft, K, which is journaled in suitable bearingsiunder the The spring I is bed A, and is rotated by suitable connections with the operating mechanism of the machine. Each cam is so formed that when it is in position to hold the lever G as far as possible from the shaft K the presser-foot will be held down upon the work by the cam and the intervening mechanism described, and when the cam is in position to permit the nearest approach of the lever G to the shaft K the presser-foot will be raised from the work by the spring I.

When the presser-foot is forced down, the spring P gives it a yielding pressure, which prevents it from injuring the work The lever G is adapted to be engaged with either of the cams J, and to this end the lever may be pivoted to swing horizontally, so that its end may be shifted from one cam to another, or the cams may be adapted to slide on their shaft.

The cams J may be of any desired number and form, to time the movements of the presserfoot and the feed-dog, next described, according to the nature of the work being performed.

it represents a device which serves both as a feed-dog and a presserfoot. This feeddog is located above the bed of the machine, and is operatethas hereinafter described, to bear upon the work, when the presser-font is raised, and to give the work a horizontal movement in any desired direction and of any desired length. The feed-dog a is preferably in the form of a horizontal ring, which surrounds the needle and presserfoot, and is notched at its lower edge, so as to hold and move the work. This form of the dog is not essential, however, as it may be straight or of other form.

The feed-dog a is located on the end of a substantially horizontal lover, I), which is connected at its opposite end to a lever or spindle, c, which is operated by the driving mechanism of the machine to move the lever I) horizontally, as hereinafter described.

The lever I) is provided at or near its center with a longitudinal slot. 11, through which passes a laterally-immovable cylindrical rod, 0. The diameter of the rod 0 is nearly equal to the width of the slot (1, and said rod serves as a pivot on which the lever b may oscillate horizontally, and as a guide on which said lever may move longitudinally, the slot permitting such movement without a corresponding movement of the rod 0.

f represents an arm or projection rigidly attached to the bed A, and containing a socket, which receives the lower end of the rod 0, and permits the rod 0 to move vertically. The rod 0 is connected at g to the lever F, and raised and lowered by said lever, the movements thus imparted to the rod being simultaneous with and in opposite directions to the movements of the presser-foot, the rod 0 rising when the presser-foot is tailing, and vice versa.

The rod 6 is connected to the lover I), so that its movements are imparted to the latter, a rigid pin or collar, Ii, on the rod 6, below the lever 1), serving to lift said lever when the rod is raised, and a collar, 1', adapted to slide on the rod and forced against the upper surface of the lever by a spring, j, serving to depress the lever when the rod is lowered, and hold the dog a with a yielding pressure against the work, and thus prevent the dog from injuriously indenting the work.

It will be seen that the feed-dog and presserfoot alternate with each other in bearing on the work. The spindle c, which imparts a horizontal movement to the lever b, passes loosely through an orifice in the end of said lever, and has a rounded lower end, k, which fits in a corresponding socket, l, in a support, in, rigidly attached to the bed of the machine, said end 7.- and socket 15 forming a hall-andsocket joint, which enable the spindle c to vibrate in all directions from a vertical or nearly vertical position. The spindle 0 may be vibrated by any suitable mechanism. We prefer to employ for the purpose a collar, 0, which is an inverted frustum of a cone, rigidly attached to the spindle, and ahorizontal ring, p, whose internal diameter is just sufticient to enable it to receive and slide easily on thcbase of the collar 0. The ringp is adapted to slide vertically in a suitable guiding-frame, r, rigidly attached to the bed of the machine, and is raised and lowered by a face-cam, s, on the shaft K, and a lever, t, engaged with said cam, pivoted to a stud or hanger, u, and connected by links o o to trunnions w w on the ring 1). When the ring is lowered it is below the, larger end of the collar 0, and allows the spindle to assume an inclined position, as shown in Fig. 8; but when said ring is raised it bears upon the conical portion of the collar until it reaches and incloses the larger end of the collar, as shown in Fig. 5, thus causing the spindle to assume a vertical position, in which it is held rigidly by the rin Suitable means are provided whereby the spindle is forced into an inclined position when the ring 19 is depressed. For this purpose we prefer to employ a spring, .9, arranged to press outwardly on the upper portion of the spindle in any desired direction, as hereinafter described.

Instead of the spring, positive means may be employed to move the spindle outwardly. For instance, an inclined wing, t, may be rigidly afiixed to the spindle c, as shown in Fig. 10, said wing being in such position that the ring 1), in descending, will bear againstits inclined surface, and thereby force the spindle out ward.

It will be seen that any movement of which the spindle is capable will result in a horizontal movement of the lever b in a direction corresponding to the direction in which the spindle moves.

To govern the direction of movement of the spindle we employ a guide, which consists of a bar or tube, at, having a longitudinal slot, b formed therein, through which slot the spindle 0 passes. This bar or tube is supported and adapted to rotate horizontally on a projection,

c rigidly attached to the bed of the machine. Said projection is provided with a circular recess or seat, which receives a spirally-toothed wheel, (1', rigidly attached to the bar or tube a, and permits said wheel to rotate. The bar or tube a extends across the center of the wheel, and the slot b is always radial with the wheel. The spindle 0, when in its vertical position, is in the center of the wheel, and when said spindle is moved by the means described it is guided by the slot 1).

The spring 8, before mentioned, is located in the tube a, as shown in Figs. 5 and 8, so that it moves with the tube, and is always in position to force the spindle outward in the direction of the length of the slot b.

The wheel d and bar or tube a are rotated, to cause the slot 1) to extend in any desired direction, by a screw-shaft, e, which meshes with the wheel d, the two constituting a worm and gear. a

The rotation of the shaft 6 is effected preferably by means of a pinion, f, on the end of the shaft, and a cogwheel, g, meshing with said pinion and journaled in a suitable bracket or support on the bed A.

The wheel g is provided with a suitable handle, and is located in convenient position to be turned by the operator. The screw-shaft e is so constructed that it can be moved longitudinally to rotate the wheel rapidly as a rack r otates a pinion. To this end the shaft 0 is composed of a threaded portion, 4, and a reduced smooth portion, 5, tooth formed in one piece, and a tubular portion, 6, formed in a separate piece and rigidly attached to the pinion f. The reduced portion 5 is adapted to slide. in the tubularportiou, and is provided with a longitudinal groove, into which projects a pin rigidly affixed to the tubular portion 6. Said pin and groove insure the rotation of the portions 4 5 by the portion 6, and permit them to slide independently of the latter. The longitudinal movement of the screw-shaft is effected by a connection of the same with the operating mechanism of the machine, such connection being effected by means of a connectingrod, h, (which is connected to the shaft 6 by a ball-and-socket joint, 2",) and either of two levers, j k, which are pivoted, respectively, at 7 r, and are adapted to be oscillated at different times and rates of speed by cams l m, rotated by the machine, and springs n 0', which hold said levers in contact with said cams.

The levers j 70 have different movements, and each is adapted to be connected to the rod h, so as to reciprocate the latter longitudinally in the manner and for the purposes hereinafter explained. The rod h is adapted to be attached to the levers j k at different distances from the pivots of said levers, so that the throw or longitudinal movement of the shaft e can be adjusted.

We have provided means for regulating the length of the described vibrations of the spindle, and to this end we prefer to employ a nut,

' p, which is adapted to work on a vertical threaded shank, q, depending from the gooseneck. The under surface of the nut p is provided with a conical recess, r, the apex or highest point of which is in line with the center of the shank q, and with the spindle 0 when the latter is in avertical position. This recess forms a stop or abutment for the upper end of the spindle and limits its outward movement in any direction, as shown in Fig. 5.

The length of movement of the spindle is regulated by adjusting the nut 19 vertically, the movement of the spindle increasing as the nut is raised, and vice versa.

An equivalent is shown in Fig. 7, in which the socket that supports the spindle c is vertically movable, so that the spindle can be 'raised and lowered to alter the position of the collar 0 with relation to the ring' 19, so that when the latter is lowered it will act as an abutment to the inclined portion of thecollar, and permit a greater or less movement of the spindle, according to the elevation of the latter.

In the operation of a sewing-machine having the described improvements, the feed-dog a is moved by the means described to carry the work horizontally in any desiredidirection while the needle is raised, and thereby feed the work so as to cause elongated stitches of any desired length to be formed thereon, ex tending in any desired direction or directions.

The machine is capable of producing a variety of stitches, each involving some difference in the mode of operation and in the ad justment of parts hence we will describe separately the operations involved in making the stitches represented in Figs. 11, 11*, 11 11, 12, 12, 13, 14., and 15, these being the principal varieties which the machine is adapted to produce.

Figs. 11, 11, 11 and 11 represent a zigzag stitch, which may be modified from the solid column shown in Fig. 11 to the angular stitch shown in Fig. 11 When the machine is adjusted to form said stitch the shaft h is connected to the lever j, and the lever G is connected with a cam, J, which is timed to raise the feed-dog at every alternate descent of the needle and depress the feed'dog before the next ascent of the needle, the movements of the presser-foot being always the reverse of the vertical movements of the feed-dog, so that when the work is held by one it is released by the other. After one ascent of the needle the spindle c is operated to move thelever b and its feeddog a horizontally in one direction, and after the next ascent said parts are moved in the opposite direction. These movements of the feeddog may be called the f stitch motions. They occur while the feeddog is on the work, and move the work so as to regulate the distance between the point from which the needle leaves the work and the point where it next enters the work. The direction ot the stitch motions corresponds to the direction of the slot b. If said slot is parallel with the lever b, the movement of the feeddog is produced entirely by the longitudinal movement of the lever. If the slot I) is at right angles with the lever, the movement of the feed-dog is produced entirely by the oscillation of the lever on its pivot c,- and if the slot 1) is diagonal to the lever, the movement of the feed-dog is produced partly by the longitudinal and partly by the oscillating movement of the lever, as will be readily seen. The feed-dog is thus adapted to move in all directions horizontally.

The effect of the stitch-motions described is to produce elongated stitches a (1. upon the work, first in one direction and then in another, the length of the stitches depending upon the length of the feed motions, which are regulated by the described means for limiting the vibrations of the spindle.

The feed-dog has two other motions in oppositedirections and at right angles with the stitch motions. Said motions regulate the diverg ence of each stitch from the stitch previously formed, and may be called the feed motions. They are produced by the rotation of the tube or bar a, eifected by the lever j, connectingrod h, and worm and gear 0 11'. Both of the feed motions take place while the spindle c is inclined, and therefore released by its ring 1). One of the feed motions occurs while the feeddog is raised, and it moves the feed-dog forward or toward the portion of the work in advance of the stitches already formed. The other feed motion takes place while the needle is raised, and immediately in advance of one of the stitch motions, and it moves the work back, so that the stitch laid by the next descent of the needle will diverge at the desired angle from the stitch last formed. The length of the feed motions is regulated by the connection of the rod h to the lever j, said motions being shortened by decreasing the distance between the pivot ot' the lever and the point where the rod is connected. 3y sufficiently shortening, the feed motions the stitches can be laid so close together as to produce the solid-column or clock stitch shown in Fig. 11, while by lengthening said motions the stitches can be made zigzag or open, as shown in Figs. 11 and 11".

The direction of the feed motions is determined by the position of the tube or bar a, and the operator is enabled, by rotating said tube or bar by the wheel and pinion, to give any desired direction to the slot I), so as to cause the stitches (I? to lie in any desired direction on the work. By rotating the tube or bar while the machine is operating the line of stitches can be curved or turned in any direction at the will of the operator. The continuity of the line ofstitches can be broken and sections can be offset, as shown in Fig. 11", by holding up the lever b and the feed-dog, after the completion of one stitch, while another is being taken, and then allowing the lever b and the feed'dog to operate as usual. By this" operation the line of stitches can be moved to either side, as will be readily seen.

To hold the lever in an elevated position we provide a lever, z, pivoted to the end of the arm f. This lever is provided with a shoulder, 2, which, when the lever z is turned upward, bears against the lower side of the lever b, and raises the latter and holds it up from the work.

The solid-column stitch shown in Figs. 11 and 11" is adapted for ornamenting stockings, and is known as clocking! To apply this or any stitch to a stocking or other tubular fabric, a machine should be employed having the portion of the bed under the need1e-bar and prcsser-foot in the form of a narrow arm, A, adapted to be surrounded by the fabric. To stretch the portion of the fabric that receives the stitches, we employ a U -shaped spring, a, (shown in Figs. 3 and 3,) adapted to be inserted in the fabric, and hold a portion of it in a smooth,-flat, distended condition.

In adapting the machine to form the herring-bone or cat stitch, (shown in Fig. 12,) the lever G is engaged with another of the cams J, which cam is timed to lift the feed-dog just before every alternate descent of the needle, and lower the dog while the needle is depressed, and hold said dog on the work while one entire stitch motion and a part of another is being made.

The connecting-rod h is connected to the lever k, which is operated by its cam to give a partial rotation, first in one direction and then in another, to the tube or bar a each rotation being made while the spindle c is vertical, so that there is no feed movement given to the spindle by the rotation of the tube or bar a, the only motions of the spindle being the outward and inward stitch motions guided by the slot 1). These motions may be at any desired angles with each other, according to the movements given the tube, and therefore cause the feed-dog to move the work in corresponding directions, so as to cause the stitches to lie at corresponding angles, as shown.

In forming the stitch the feed-dog is in contact with the work during the outward movement of the spindle a, so that the work will be moved a distance corresponding to the length of the movement of the spindle, and a stitch, b, of a corresponding length will be formed on the work.

During the next inward movement of the spindle c the feed-dog is lifted from the work before the entire movement is completed, so that the work is given only a partial movement, the result being a shorter stitch, c nearly parallel with the stitch 12 The movement of the feed-dog is completed while the dog is lifted, and the dog descends after the completion of the short stitch, and gives the work a full movement after the next ascent of the needle to form the next full stitch b It will be seen that the difierence between the shorter and longer movements of the work produces a progressive movement in one direction, which amounts to a feed motion.

By operating the nut 10, or its equivalent,

to reduce the length of the outward and inward movements of the spindle 0 while forming the stitch last described, the Stitches can be gradually shortened, so as to produce a leafconnecting-rod h to the rigid post or support,

as shown in Fig, 2, so that there. will be no automatic rotation of the tube or bar a, and the longer and shorter stitches, b 0 will be nearly parallel with each other, as shown, the result being a thick heavy vine-like stitch.

In adapting the machine to form the rosette shown in Fig. 14, the only change from the last-described adaptation is to disconnect the lever G from the cams J, and allow the presser-foot to be raised from the work and remain inoperative, and the feed-dog to remain in continued contact with the work. The feeddog therefore has only two motions in opposite directions when the machine is operated, and carries the work back and forth in the same line.

The operator rotates the bar or tube a slowly as the machine is operated, and thus causes the stitches to radiate until the figure is formed. A fan-shapedfigure or a section of the rosette .may be formed in the same manner, and two or more of such figures may be formed and connected by. the backstitch shown in Fig. 13, or any other suitable stitch which the machine can form.

The stitch shown in Fig. 15 is formed by adapting the feed-dog to move the work in one direction only after each alternate ascent of the needle.

If desired, the slotted tube or bar a may be removed, and the spindle may be moved outward, and guided in all of its movements by the. fingers of the operator, to cause the stitches to extend in any desireddirection and produce various fanciful and irregular designs; or a plate having an orifice of any desired outline may be substituted for the tube or bar a. Such a plate is shown in Fig. 16, a being the plate, and b the orifice. This plate is placed in a suitable support, so that the spindle 0 will pass through the orifice. The operator pushes the spindle outwardly into the different recesses of the orifice while the machine is in operation. Themovements given to the spindle by the operator correspond to those given by the spring 8", as above described, and the orifice 1) enables the successive motions of the feed-dog to be varied as desired, according to the form of the orifice.

We claim 1. In a sewing-machine, the combination of a feed-dog, a, arranged to bear upon the top of the work, a lever, ,b, supporting the feeddog and capable of longitudinal and vibratory motions, a vibratory spindle, c, engaged with one end of said lever, means, substantially as described, for vibrating the spindle, and a rotary guide inclosing the spindle, and adapted to guide the latter in any desired direction when it is vibrated, as set forth.

2. The combination of a feed dog, a, a lever, 12, a vibratory spindle, 0, means, substantially as described, for vibrating the spindle, a guide for directing the movements of the spindle, and means, substantially as described, whereby the position of the guide is automatically changed while the machine is in operation, as set forth.

3. The combination of a feed-dog, a, a lever, b, a vibratory spindle, a, means, substantially as described, for vibrating the spindle, a guide for directing the movements of the spindle, a rotary toothed'wheel supporting the guide,

and means whereby said wheel may be rotated by the operator to change the position of the guide, as set forth.

4. In combination with the lever b and feed dog a, the spindle 0, having a collar, 0, and the vertically-movable ring 9 and spring 8', or its equivalent, whereby the spindleis oscillated, as set forth.

5. In combination with the lever .b and feeddog a, the vibratory spindle 0,n1eans,substantially as described, for vibrating the spindle, and means, substantially as described, whereby the length of movement of said spindle is regulated, as set forth. 1

6. In combination with the lever b and feeddog, a, the spindle and its rotary slotted guide, relatively arranged as described, and means, substantially as described, whereby the guide is rotated automatically and caused to move the spindle when thelatter is in an inclined position, as and for the purpose specified.

7. In combination with the spindle-guide, the

mechanism whereby said guide is rotated, consisting of the spirally-toothed rotary wheel d, and a screw-shaft, the threaded portion of which is adapted both to rotate and reciprocatelongitudinally, whereby said wheel andshaft are adapted to operate. either as a worm-gear or as a rack and pinion, as set forth.

s. In combination with the spirally'toothed.

wheel d, the extensible screw-shaft 6, provided at one end with means whereby it may be rotated by the operator, and detachably connected at the other, by means substantially as described, with the operating mechanism of the machine, as set forth.

9. In combination with the rotary spindle guide, the rotary toothed wheel 01, the exten sible screw-shaft i, and means whereby said shaft is connected to a fixed point, to prevent the rotation of the guide by the operating mechanism of the machine, asset forth.

10. In combination with the rotary spindleguide, mean s, substantially as described,whereby the automatic rotation of the guide is regulated as to time andlength of movement, as set forth.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 10th day of May, 1879.

JOHN W. TUTTLE. THOMAS K. KEITH.

Witnesses GEORGE W. PIERCE, O. F. BROWN. 

